King Jigme Singye Wangchuk (right) greets President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck looks on at a meeting in New Delhi in July. (PTI file photo)

Washington, Dec. 16: When Bhutan’s King Jigme Singye Wangchuk communicated to the kingdom’s cabinet on December 9 the decision to immediately abdicate in favour of his 26-year-old son, the Prime Minister, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk and other ministers “were overcome by emotion and sat in a long and stunned silence”.

Although members of Bhutan’s cabinet had been aware of the king’s desire to retire, they were at a complete loss when they actually received the “Royal Kasho” or decree, Kuensel, the Bhutanese newspaper, wrote in today’s edition.

King Wangchuk has ruled the Shangri-la land of strategic Indian interests for 34 years and will be remembered for his priority: not obsessively raising his country’s GDP, but governing towards the objective of GNH or gross national happiness.

He leaves a legacy that is the envy of nations around the world.

“As I hand over my responsibilities to my son, I repose my full faith and belief in the people of Bhutan to look after the future of our nation, for it is the Bhutanese people who are the true custodians of our tradition and culture and the ultimate guardians of the security, sovereignty and continued well being of our country,” the Druk Gyalpo — as the king is known — said in the Royal Kasho.

It is not yet clear whether the coronation of the crown prince, Oxford-educated Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, will take place soon or be held in 2008 as earlier planned.

“The crown prince has much to learn about the responsibilities that go with ruling the country... I have decided to step down so that the new king will be able to gather experience before the parliamentary elections in 2008,” the outgoing monarch said in a statement today.

Bhutan’s parliamentary elections in 2008 will herald a rare and unprecedented change from absolute to constitutional monarchy.

Reiterating his commitment to hold elections, the king on Thursday told a special meeting of Bhutan’s Lhengye Zhungtsho or cabinet that he wanted at least three political parties contesting in the elections.

“Ideally there should be at least four or five parties,” the king told the cabinet, urging ministers, civil servants, and private businessmen to come forward in their creation.

He noted that no one had declared the intention to form political parties so far, but emphasised that parties must be constituted at least six months before the polls so that they had the time to prepare.

The change to democracy is only part of the legacy that the outgoing monarch is leaving behind. Under King Wangchuk, Bhutan has surmounted its handicap of being landlocked to achieve an impressive per capita income.

But the king’s achievements that the rest of the world truly admires is Bhutan’s pristine environment and untiring efforts to balance its ecology. Kuensel said in an editorial today on the transition that “political stability in a turbulent world continues to ensure phenomenal all-round growth” in Bhutan.

“We have the institutions set in place to strengthen good governance,” the editorial noted.

Bhutan is among the few Asian countries whose people do not live in fear of terrorism.